Academic Services

Credits Required For Graduation

• All students are required to complete a minimum of 128 credits.

• A minimum of 112 of the 128 credits must come from Brandeis fall/spring semesters, Brandeis Summer School, approved fall/spring study abroad programs or approved Justice Brandeis Semester programs.

• A combined maximum of 16 credits may come from External Credit Sources (see below).

• Transfer students must complete a minimum of 64 of the 128 credits from Brandeis fall/spring semesters.

• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.000 is required for graduation.

Semesters Required For Graduation

• Students entering as freshmen are required to complete a minimum of seven full-time semesters from Brandeis fall/spring semesters, approved fall/spring study abroad programs or approved Justice Brandeis Semester programs.

• At most, one of these seven semesters may be a study abroad semester or a summer Justice Brandeis semester. (For students wishing to complete two semesters of study abroad, or two summer Justice Brandeis semesters, or one semester of each, the minimum number of semesters becomes eight full-time semesters.)

• Transfer students must complete a minimum of four full-time semesters from Brandeis fall/spring semesters.

• A student's final semester cannot be spent on a study abroad program. In order to receive credit for work done abroad, students must return to Brandeis for at least one semester during the academic year.

Option 1

• 8 Brandeis Fall/Spring Semesters

• 0 Study Abroad/JBS Semesters

• 112 Minimum Brandeis Fall/Spring/Summer Credits

• 16 Maximum External Numeric Credits

Option 2

• 7 Brandeis Fall/Spring Semesters

• 1 Study Abroad/JBS Semesters

• 96 Minimum Brandeis Fall/Spring/Summer Credits

• 16 Maximum Study Abroad Credits

• 16 Maximum External Numeric Credits

Option 3

• 6 Brandeis Fall/Spring Semesters

• 2 Study Abroad/JBS Semesters

• 96 Minimum Brandeis Fall/Spring/Summer Credits

• 32 Maximum Study Abroad Credits

Option 4

• 7 Brandeis Fall/Spring Semesters

• 0 Study Abroad/JBS Semesters

• 112 Minimum Brandeis Fall/Spring/Summer Credits

• 16 Maximum External Numeric Credits

Option 5

• 6 Brandeis Fall/Spring Semesters

• 1 Study Abroad/JBS Semesters

• 96 Minimum Brandeis Fall/Spring/Summer Credits

• 16 Maximum Study Abroad Credits

• 16 Maximum External Numeric Credits

Option 6

• 6 Brandeis Fall/Spring Semesters

• 0 Study Abroad/JBS Semesters

• 120 Minimum Brandeis Fall/Spring/Summer Credits

• 8 Maximum Summer Study Abroad Credits

Please contact Study Abroad for additional information.

The additional 4 course credits necessary for graduation can be earned a variety of ways. They can be:

• Brandeis fall/spring coursework

• Brandeis summer coursework (limit 3 courses/12 credits each summer

• AP or IB credit

• A second fall or spring semester of approved Study Abroad

• Approved courses taken while on a leave of absence for medical reasons

• Approved courses taken through an approved summer study abroad program

• For students who applied for fall-term admission as freshmen, but who were accepted for the following spring term as members of the midyear class:

  • Approved college courses taken during the fall semester immediately prior to entering Brandeis

  • Approved courses in General Chemistry I and II (plus labs) taken the summer prior to entering Brandeis

No, classes from other colleges can be used for the purpose of fulfilling general university or major requirements but cannot be counted toward the 128 course credits required for graduation. Courses approved for purpose credit will also not be counted towards a student's Brandeis GPA.

As long as you complete 6 fall/spring semesters of study on the Brandeis campus, you may study abroad for a full year. One of the study abroad semesters would count toward your semesters required for graduation, bringing you to the minimum required total of 7 required semesters.

Contact the Registrar's Office.

Brandeis only has one Commencement each year, in May. Students who complete the graduation requirements at the end of the summer or fall terms may choose to participate in either the Commencement ceremonies preceding their completion or following it (but not both). If you choose to participate in the Commencement afterwards, you may choose to receive your diploma at the Commencement ceremonies or have it mailed directly to you when it is available. Students "walking" in Commencement before they have completed graduation requirements will receive their diplomas 8-10 weeks after completing their degree.